Kraft Nabisco: Amateurs hang tough on windy day

March 31, 2012 | by Lynne Cowan of AmateurGolf.com

Austin Ernst

At the season's first LPGA major the amateurs show that they can hold their own against the pros

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (Mar. 31, 2012) -- On a blustery day in the desert the third round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship was completed. Teeing off before the winds really picked up, the four amateurs that made the cut took advantage all shooting rounds under par and moving up the leader board. American Austin Ernst, the 2011 NCAA Division 1 individual title holder, shot a third round 68 and moved up the leader board into a tie for 29th at 215 (77-70-68.) Nationally ranked #1, Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand is also at 215, tied for 29th after posting a 1-under-par 71 on the Mission Hills Country Club layout. Ernst and Jutanugarn are only eight strokes off the lead of 9-under par held by world's #1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan and Sweden's Karin Sjodin. With a third round 68, Charley Hull of England is at even par at 216 (71-77-68) and is tied for 37th. The other American in the group, Jaye Marie Green of Florida, carded a 2-under par 70 today and sits at 2-over par after 54-holes. Green is ahead of twenty LPGA players including a few hall-of-famers and major champions. Wind will still be a factor in tomorrow's final round. The temperatures will drop from the 90's to the mid-70's. We'll see which amateur has mastered the knock-down and will take home the important ranking points while gaining some great tournament experience.

Results: Chevron Championship (ANA Inspiration)

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
T22	Ariya Jutanugarn	, Thailand	800	71-73-71-71
T38	Charley Hull	, England	700	71-77-68-73
T49	Austin Ernst	Seneca, SC	500	77-70-68-77
T56	Jaye Marie Green	Boca Raton, FL	500	71-77-70-75

View full results for Chevron Championship (ANA Inspiration)

About the Chevron Championship (ANA Inspiration)

Kraft Nabisco: Amateurs hang tough on windy day

First women's professional major of the year, the Chevron (formerly the ANA Inspiration, and before that the Kraft Nabisco) Championship draws more than 100 of the best women professional golfers in the world, as well as the top-ranked amateurs in th...